Heating system



DEC. 31, E w PlERCE HEATING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 9, 1951 duozmq Patented Dec. 31, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 18 Claims.

Taking the case of heating systems for dwellings, apartments, etc., in which an oil burner is used and water is the heating medium, to exemplify and explain my invention, the common practice is to stop or extinguish the oil burner from an automatic thermostat when the desired temperature has been attained in the room in which the thermostat is located and to ignite the oil burner when the temperature lowers. In the in- ID tervals between extinguishing and re-lighting the burner, the furnace or boiler cools down. This means that when there is a demand again on the system for heat, there must be an expenditure of heat to heat up the boiler from its cold or cooled state with money loss incident thereto and delay in warming up the rooms. One of the objects of my invention is to avoid the consequences just mentioned. Another object of my invention is .to provide automatic control means whose mechanism and operation will be simple and dependable. Another object oi. my invention is to render more convenient and otherwise advantageous the heating apparatus or system.

While I have mentioned an oil burner and a hot water system, it is to be understood that my invention in its broadest scope is not limited in these respects.

My invention consists in whatever is described by or is included within the terms or scope oi the appended claims.

In the drawing: 7 Figure 1 of the drawing is a side elevation with parts broken away, and in some respects by way of diagrammatic illustration of a heating system embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a detail view showing better than Fig. 1 the damper applied to the pipe connected with the burner moor. I

40 Describing in detail what is shown In the draw ing, a hot water boiler, I0, is shown in a conventional way, from which runs the outlet pipe, II, for hot water to the radiators (not shown) of the heating system and I2 is an oil burner also shown conventionally. It is, of course, understood that a suitable return pipe or other induction means (not shown) may be provided for the system as is usual in such instances where circulation of the heated medium is desired. In the eduction 56 electric motor, I4, in an electric circuit with a pipe, II, is a valve, I3, to control and to out off I room thermostat, I5, sh'own conventionally in the drawing. Thus the thermostat by controlling the electric motor effects the closing and opening of the control valve, I3, in the eduction pipe of the boiler. The electric motor I4, is connected 5 by reducing gearing with a rotary shaft, I6, which is connected with the rotating stem of the valve, I3. The reducing gearing is conventionally shown as a series of belted pu1leys,- I'I. On the shaft, I6, is a drum, I8, to which is connected one end of a rope or cable, I9, that descends from the drum and at its lower end supports a weight, 20. By the rotation of the drum, I8, from the gear connection with the electric motor, I4, the rope or cable, I9, is wound on the drum and the weight lifted. The rotation of the shaft, I6, in the direction to open the valve, I2, results in raising-the weight, 20, and when the shaft has been turned far enough to wholly open the valve, I3, the weight is raised to a point where it touches the free end of a lever, 2 I, and raises it and thereby opens a switch, 22, in the thermostat and motor circuit, 23, and thus stops the running of the motor. The weight, 20, is held in its raised position and the valve, I 3, kept open by the action of an electro-magnetic brake, 24, on the periphery of a drum, 25, on one of the shaits'ot the belt reducing gearing, said magnet being in a circuit, 26, which includes a normally open switch, 21, that is closed when the weight reaches its highest point and in finishing its upward movement rocks a switch lever, 28, into switch-closing position. The circuit, 26, that includes the magnet of the electric brake, 24, is a branch of the room thermostat circuit and the action of the room thermostat, I5, when the temperature rises to the predetermined point, is to break the circuit through the magnet of the electric brake, 24, and thereby release the weight, 20, from restraint which thereupon descends and revolves the valve shaft, I6, to close the valve, I3. Immediately after starting downward, the weight, 20, trees the two switch levers, 2I and 28, with the result that the switch 22, is closed and the switch, 21, opened so that the motor circuit is again in readiness for closing by the room thermostat and the electric brake magnet circuitis opened so that the said brake cannot exert any stopping effect upon the operation of the valve shaft, I8, by the ,motor. When the weight has fully descended to the point where the valve, II, is fully closed, the weight strikes the horizontal extension, 29, of a rod, 30, that extends upward and at its upper aid 5 I is connected to .a brake lever, 3I, which is moved downward into braking contact with the periphery of a drum, 32, on the shaft, I6, to arrest or stop the shaft the instant the valve, I3, is fully closed and thus avoid overthrow of the valve from momentum of the moving parts. If desired a spring or weight may be applied to the brake lever, 3 I, to lift it frombraking position upon the ascent of the weight, 20, from the extension, 29.

From the hot water eduction pipe, II, on the boiler side of the valve, I3, a branch eduction pipe, 33, leads to the water space of a tubular boiler, 34, at the top thereof and at the bottom of such space an induction pipe, 35, leads to the bottom of the boiler, III, and thus circulation of water between boiler, I Ii, and supplemental tubular boiler, 34, continues when the valve, I3, is closed. Preferably a thermostat, 36, adjacent the induction pipe, 35, controls the operation of the oil burner according to the water temperature. To utilize the heat from the oil burner to the maximum, the exhaust flue or pipe, 31, from the top of the boiler, I0, is carried to a chest or box, 38, containing or surrounding the tubular boiler, 34, the connection of said flue or pipe, 31, being at the top of the box, and from the bottom thereof is an outlet flue, 33, which leads to the chimney. The pipe I I leads to the radiators and the return from the radiator circuit enters the boiler I0 through any convenient opening near the bottom of the boiler or if preferred, it can lead into a pipe branching from pipe 35.

Preferably the boiler, I0, contains a water heating coil or pipe, 40, which by pipes, H and 42 is connected with the top and bottom of a stand boiler, 43, which by pipes, 44, and 450 is connected with kitchen, bathrooms and other places in the house or apartment where hot water for washing or other purposes is needed. Branch pipes, 46 extend between the two pipes, H and 42 through the smoke chest or box, 36, and through the water space of the tubular boiler for the interchange of heat to the water flowing therethrough. It will be observed that if, at the time of the opening or closing of the valve, I3, there is a difference in temperature of water in the boiler, II, and in the stand boiler, 43, and their connections, that by reason of the intercommunication provided between them, there will be an interchange of heat.

It will be evident. that whether the valve, I3, be completely opened by the action of the motor, I4, or partially opened thereby, may be determined by the length of the weight-suspending rope or cable, I9, or the extent to which it is allowed to rise before being stopped.

For protecting the magnet of the electric brake, 24, against too much voltage, an electric lamp or fuse, 41, may be placed in the circuit, 26.

Inasmuch as when the valve, I3, in eduction P pe, II, is closed, the burner, I2, nevertheless continues in operation it follows that heat is maintained in the furnace I3 and tubular boiler,

. 34 and this circumstance enables provision for preheating air for the burner I2, and preheating oil before it reaches the burner by utilizing the heated condition which is maintained as just explained. In the drawing, I illustrate how this can be accomplished by passing the air and oil before delivery to the burner, I2, through the heated water in the tubular boiler 34. Thus, in the case of the air, a pipe or flue 45 is extended from the water space within the tubular boiler 34, to the burner, I2, such pipe receiving air from the outside at its lower end which is then passed upward through a portion of the pipe 45, within the boiler, 34, and then on to theburner I2. Preferably a damper is placed in the pipe 45, which is connected with the burner motor so that when the burner is operating, the damper is open to allow flow of air, while when the burner stops operation, the damper is closed and thus the flow of cold air which would chill the apparatus or system from the furnace draft is prevented.

In Fig. 2 the damper 460 and operating means therefor are clearly shown. The damper 460 has within the flue 45, a lever arm or crank 46I, radiating from its pivot and pivotally connected to the arm 46I, is, one end of a solenoid core 462, the solenoid 463 being mounted on the outside of the flue 45, in a circuit with the circuit which operates the burner, so that when the burner is running, the solenoid will be energized and when the burner is cut off, the solenoid will also be cut off. From an inspection of Fig. 2, it will be noted that when the burner I2, and solenoid 463, are cut off, the core 462 and lever 46I will fall by gravity until the end of lever 46I is in contact with the lower wall of flue 45, at which position the damper 460 will be closed and will remain closed as long as the burner circuit is cut off and the burner is not running. And when the burner circuit is turned on and the burner I2'is running, and solenoid 463 is energized, the core 462, and lever 46I will be drawn up by the action of the solenoid until the end of lever 46I is in contact with the upper wall of flue 45, at which position the damper 460, will be open, and will remain open till the burner and solenoid are again out off. It is to be understood that I do not claim novelty in the combination of the operating parts of the damper 460. The novelty consists in having means to obstruct the air flow through flue 45, while the burner is turned off as hereinbefore described.

In the above described arrangement of flue 45, to preheat air for the burner I2, it will be seen that such part of flue 45, which is within the boiler 34, is the air preheater, and that this air preheater is at all times submerged in the continuously hot water within this boiler. It will also be seen that, while the burner I2, is turned off and the damper 460, is closed, there will be no flow of air through the preheater, the air therein will be held in check and therefore will absorb heat from the hot boiler water until its temperature about equals that of the continuously hot water in boiler 34, and it will then be stored within the preheater at this temperature for instant use by the burner when it again starts running. This results in great benefit to the system in that the most common source of trouble in the operation of an automatic burner, is failure of ignition and when even a small amount of air is stored at a high temperature for use by the burner at the time it is turned on, the likelihood of failure of ignition is greatly reduced, due to the well known fact that heated combustibles ignite more readily than cold combustibles. Furthermore, since the air flow through the air preheater is cut off during the time in which the burner is not running, and after the non-flowing air therein has attained its maximum temperature, there is no heat wasted in preheating air for the burner at a time during which no heated air is desired therefor. This circumstance promotes greater conservation of the heat generated in the system and, therefore, greater economy.

In the case of preheating oil, a tank, 416, is placed in the water space of boiler 34. and to the bottom thereof is connected the oil supply pipe 48, from the supply tank, and from the top thereof a pipe 49, leads to the burner. The advantages of preheating the oil before delivery to the oil burner are well-known and need not be set forth.

In connection with the claims, it is to be understood that by the term combustible, I mean a substance, portions of which are capable of entering a combustion process, such as, for example, fuel and air, et-c.

What I claim is:-

l. A fluid heater, an outlet therefrom, an outlet from said heater for the products of combustion, a supplemental fluid heater, means for effecting heat exchange between fluid in the fluid heater and fluid in said supplemental heater, said supplemental heater including a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet for a fluid to be heated, said heat exchanger being arranged so that the fluid therein is segregated from the fluid in said fluid heater, and a conduit for conducting the products of combustion from said outlet to said heat exchanger for imparting heat thereto.

2. A fluid heater having a fluid outlet therefrom and an outlet therefrom for products of combustion, a supplemental heater comprising a fluid compartment and a heating compartment, means for effecting heat exchange between fluid in said first mentioned heater and fluid in the supplemental heater, a heat exchanger having an outlet opening and inlet opening for fluid to be heated therein and having portions thereof in the fluid and heating compartments of said supplemental heater, and a conduit arranged so that it conducts the products of combustion from the outlet in said first mentioned heater to the heating compartment of the supplemental heater for imparting heat to the fluid compartment thereof and to said heat exchanger.

3. A fluid heater as set forth in claim 2, further characterized by a second conduit extending through said first mentioned heater, and pipes connected to the ends of said second conduit and to the openings respectively of said heat exchanger.

4. A fluid heater, an outlet therefrom, an outlet from said heater for the products of combustion, a supplemental fluid heater, means for effecting heat exchange between fluid in heater and fluid in supplemental heater, a heat exchanger in a fluid compartment of said supplemental heater, said heat exchanger being connected at its lower portion to a fluid supply pipe and at its upper portion to a fluid delivery pipe,

and a conduit for conducting the products of combustion from said outlet to said supplemental heater and to said heat exchanger for imparting heat thereto.

5. A fluid heater, an outlet therefrom, an outlet from said heater for the products of combustion, a supplemental fluid heater, fluid connections between the upper portions of said heaters and between the lower portions thereof, a heat exchanger in a fluid compartment of said supplemental heater, said heat exchanger being connected at its lower portion to a fluid supply pipe and at its upper portion to a fluid delivery pipe, and a conduit for conducting the products of combustion from said outlet to'said supplemental heater and to said heat exchanger for imparting heat thereto.

6. A fluid heater, an outlet therefrom, an outlet from said heater for the products of combustion, a supplemental fluid heater, a conduit for conducting the products of combustion from said outlet to said supplemental heater for imparting heat thereto, means for effecting heat exchange between fluid in heater and fluid in 5 supplemental heater, 9. heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet for a fluid to be heated, such fluid in the heat exchanger being subjected to heat which emanates from the heated zone of said supplemental heater, and means to deliver 10 such heated fluid from said outlet to a fluid compartment of said fluid heater.

7. A fluid heater, including a fluid outlet therefrom and a fuel burner, an outlet from said fluid heater for the products of combustion, a 15 supplemental fluid heater, a conduit for conducting the products of combustion from its fluid heater outlet to said supplemental heater for imparting heat to the latter, a means for effecting heat exchange between fluid in said 20 first mentioned heater and the fluid in said supplemental heater, a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet for a fluid to be heated therein, such fluid in the heat exchanger being subjected to heat which emanates from the heated 25 zoneof said supplemental heater, means to deliver such heated fluid from said outlet of the exchanger to said fuel burner, and temperature actuated means which start and stop the operation of the'burner so that the heater is kept con- 80 tinuously in a heated condition.

8. A fluid heater, an" outlet therefrom, an outlet from said heater for the products of combustion, a supplemental fluid heater, a conduit for conducting the products of combustion from 85 said outlet to said supplemental heater for imparting heat thereto, means for effecting heat exchange between fluid in heater and fluid in supplemental heater, a fluid supply pipe, a fluid delivery pipe and circulating connections between 40 said pipes and a fluid compartment of each of said heaters.

9. A fluid heater, an outlet therefrom, an outlet from said heater for the products of combustion, a supplemental fluid heater, a conduit for 45 conducting the products of combustion from said outlet to said supplemental heater for imparting heat thereto, means for effecting heat exchange between fluid in heater. and fluid in supplemental heater, a heat exchanger in said fluid 60 heater, a heat exchanger in a fluid compartment of said supplemental fluid heater, said heat exchangers being connected at their lower portions to a fluid supply pipe and at their upper portions to a delivery pipe. 55

10. A fluid heater, an outlet therefrom, an outlet from said heater for the products of combustion, a supplemental fluid heater. a conduit for conducting the products of combustion from said outlet to said supplemental heater for im- 60 parting heat thereto, fluid-connections between the upper portions of said heaters and between the lower portions thereof, a heat exchanger in said fluid heater, a heat exchanger in a fluid compartment of said supplemental fluid heater, said heat exchangers being connected at their lower portions to a fluid supply pipe and at their upper portions to a delivery pipe.

11. A fluid heater, an outlet therefrom, an outlet from said heater for the products of combustion, a supplemental fluid heater, a conduit for conducting the products of .combustion from said outlet to said supplemental heater for imparting heat thereto, fluid connections between the upper portions of said heaters and between the lower portions thereof, a heat exchanger in a fluid compartment of said supplemental heater, said heat exchanger being connected at its lower portion to a fluid supply pipe and at its upper portion to a fluid delivery pipe and a fluid heating coil situated in said fluid heater to be sub jected to the heating effect of said heater, said heating coil being connected at its lower portion to the fluid supply pipe of said heat exchanger and at its upper portion to the fluid delivery pipe of said heat exchanger.

12. A fluid heater system which includes a boiler having an outlet for a fluid to be heated, a fuel burner for said boiler, automatically operated means responsive to the boiler temperature which control the operation of the burner so that the boiler is kept continuously in a heated condition, means drawing air for combustion purposes to said burner, an air preheater located for immediate contact with a boiler source of heat, said air preheater being arranged so that said air drawn' to the burner is continuously heated by heat emanating from said boiler water.

13. A fluid heater system which includes a heater having an outlet for a medium to be heated, a fuel burner for said heater, automatically operated means responsive to heater tem-- perature which control the operation of the burner 50- that the heater is kept continuously in a heated condition, means drawing a combustible elastic fluid to said burner, and an elassaid elastic fluid heater and a heated zone of the system, which is kept continuously in a heated condition by saidautomatically controlled burner, having a common wall.

14. A fluid heater system which includes a heater having an outlet for a medium to be heated, a fuel burner for said heater, automatically operated means responsive to heater temperature which start and stop the operation of i the burner so that the heater is kept continuously in a heated condition, means drawing a combustible elastic fluid to said burner, and an elastic fluid heater for preheating said elastic fluid; said elastic fluid heater and a heated zone of the system, which is kept continuously in a heated condition by said automatically controlled burner, having a common wall.

15. A fluid heater system,-as in claim 13, in which said combustible elastic fluid is air.

16. A fluid heater system, as in claim 13 further characterized by the said combustible elastic fluid being air, and means for preheating fuel for said burner, and means for delivering such preheated fuel to the burner.

17. A fluid heater system, as in claim 13, having means for obstructing elastic fluid flow on its way from said elastic fluid heater to the burner while the burner is turned off.

18. A fluid heater system, as in claim 13, having means for storing such heated elastic fluid while the burner is turned off.

. with these corrections therein that th CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,026,399. December 31, 1935.

ERNEST W. PIERCE.

It is' hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above nlimbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4, second column, lines 18, 20, 25 and 29, claims 15, l6, l7 and 18 respectively, for

the numeral "13" read 14; and that the said Letters Pate t should be read e same may conform to the record of the case if: the Patent Office. I

Signed and sealed this 25th day of February, A. D. 1936.

Leslie Frazer v (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

